God hears and answers

Wednesday, July 3:  I picked Kaity up today at 1:00. Emma was helping her dad around the house, so it was just Kaity and I. Since it was a blistering hot day today (finally!!), I needed to have a PLAN to cool us off. 

I've been considering the pool over at Richmond Park, the very place I used to take the boys when we lived off of Alpine. It's a super nice pool, but there are always negatives: large crowd, waiting line, etc. PLUS, since the location is right near where these grandkids live, if we went over to the pool, it would have to be the final thing we did for the day--and then drop them off at their house. I remember the LONG lines years ago, waiting to get admitted to the overcrowded pool. Emma does not like crowds. Me either. Kaity doesn't like waiting in lines. I needed a Plan B! So I asked God to show me, please GIVE me a PLAN B!

Kaity and I had an unfinished project leftover from her birthday, however. We needed to finish her LEGO model! 

I was super pleased to see Kaity get the instruction book out, find out where she had left off, and continue building ON HER OWN. Last Wednesday, when both Kaity and Emma were here, we had celebrated an early birthday for Kaity. I was in the kitchen working on what we were going to eat for lunch, and at the same time I was listening to Emma teach Kaity how to follow the LEGO visual instruction booklet. Emma had Kaity do ALL of the building. Good job, Emma! 

 Kaity picked up right where she had left off a week ago and would NOT allow any help from me whatsoever (except when a piece got "stuck" and I used my pliers to "un-stick" it).

 Kaity--YOU GO GIRL!!! Kaity completed her treehouse LEGO model including the Zipline, flowers, extra tiny parts, etc. She put all of the stickers on (beautifully, I might add) and was very pleased with herself. I am super proud of her!

 So ... sometime in the middle of the night last night I recalled Versluis Park, which is right around the corner from me on Northland. I recalled visiting there many, many years ago and definitely NOT liking it ... but then I don't like INLAND lakes ... not to swim in ... because of all of the seaweed and duck waste (yuck), etc. 

 But when the girls and I visited Lake Michigan last week, it was FULL of seaweed both IN the lake and all over the beach. I figured ... we might as well TRY Versluis Park!

 Thank you, Lord! It's a really, really NICE place! Five minutes from my house! The lake is clean, there are multiple life guards, the swim area is precisely roped off, it was NOT crowded, there was minimal sea weed, zero ducks, and plenty of little guppies to chase around (which Kaity did for an HOUR), very gleefully I might add.

 Kaity had so much fun! And the water temperature was 78 degrees--MY kind of temp for swimming. The air temp was close to 90 degree, so the swim was very refreshing.

 And a further bonus ... TWO playgrounds! One right on the beach, and another larger playground off to the side in a SHADED AREA!  Kaity had so much fun.  I can't wait to bring Brendan and Aidan here.

My Monkey was SO pleased that there were monkey bars!

I could not have asked for or received a nicer few hours with Kaity. I love her so much. Thank you, Lord, for hearing and answering my prayer today. YOU ARE AWESOME.